Labour’s Hazel Blears, Tory Oliver Heald, and LibDem Simon Hughes will give evidence at a Committee on Standards in Public Life evidence session on the work of the Electoral Commission today.

Simon Hughes’ authority to speak is somewhat undermined by his original electoral success in 1983 owing something to the most vicious homophobic campaign against Labour’s candidate Peter Tatchell. The hypocrisy of it all in the light of his penchant for cruising for men on gay chatlines and in Southwark pubs really shows just how ruthlessly determined he is to further his career. Hughes has since apologised, but does that really absolve him? Is he really best qualified to pontificate on “Standards in Public Life”?